Genre:

Short Fiction, Drollery

Relevant illustrations:

wdct. [2]

Illustrators:

T Hood

Subjects:

Disease, Epidemiology, Statistics

    Describes the thwarting of an attempted burglary by a servant who feigns illness and dresses up a 'waxen puppet of Hygeia, the Goddess of Health' as a child dead of plague (35). (The puppet had formerly been carried by the Worshipful Company of Barber Surgeons at their pageants, but, on falling into disuse, had been purchased by the servant's mistress, Dame Ellinor Wood, as a toy for her children.) The illustration captioned 'The Bills of Mortality' (facing 27) depicts vultures tearing at a dead horse. The illustration captioned 'The Common Lot' (facing 28) depicts a skeleton acting as auctioneer for a coffin, while a group of gentlefolk look on.